‘Pissed Off Betty’ by Whiskey Kill: Sure, their two-word name references both booze and murder, and their songs regularly address topics like drinking and fighting, pistols and switchblades, prison and Hell, but it’s all in a spirit of fun. On their debut album, “Pissed Off Betty,” self-described “dirty country band” Whiskey Kill executes a vintage rockabilly sound that explores the roots of Americana.

The album launches onto the dragstrip with “Tokyo Rose,” a straight-ahead rockabilly romp that recalls the grease-slicked rock of the ’50s. It’s followed by the title track, which pays homage to Social Distortion and the street-tough punks of yore.

“Don’t stick your nose into a fight / Some pissed off Betty might make it your last night,” front man Tom Ferry sings.

The eight songs were written by Ferry and his partner Elissa Williamson Scogland, who hail from opposite coasts. Ferry sings in a Stevie Ray Vaughan tenor with an occasional rockabilly quaver. He’s joined by Sean Yasideria on lead guitar, Bruce Hilton on pedal steel, Greg Zaino on drums and Jose Solorzano on upright bass.

“He Still Calls Her Baby” twangs it up with a melody that calls to mind Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally,” and “Dead Man Walking” has a thumping, retro-country rhythm. “Cold Steel Lover” approaches the speed and fury of a psychobilly tune, while the guitar solo on “Better Man” invokes the southern rock of the Allman Brothers.

Recorded by local music man Jon Nolan, “Pissed Off Betty” scours the last half-century of American rock, setting a collision course between country, punk and blues, and the album is likely to appeal to fans of any one of those genres.

Whiskey Kill will celebrate their CD release with a daylong shindig at the Dover Brick House on Saturday, Jan. 21, beginning with an all-ages “Rockabilly Brunch” at 11 a.m., also featuring Tristan Omand and The Claytones. The festivities continue at 9 p.m., when the band will be joined by The Juke Joint Rhythm Rockers and Dressed for the Occasion. The evening show is $10 and includes a copy of the CD.

Visit www.reverbnation.com/whiskeykill or find the band on Facebook.

‘Will to Be...’ by Todo Bien: In these dark, frigid months, Todo Bien invites you to discover the tropical paradise in your head. The Seacoast band’s second album, “Will to Be...,” is loaded with reggae songs that deliver an uplifting vibe, both rhythmically and lyrically.

Released in December, the album features pleasantly easygoing melodies with positive, incisive lyrics, all steeped in the reggae tradition and spiced with hints of American pop-rock, as relevant to Hampton Beach as it is to the Caribbean. 

“Anything is possible, even when you’re faced with the impossible. / From the corners of reality, meet you in the middle of the brutality,” front man Skip Brunette sings in the opening track, “Changes.”

The band consists of Brunette on lead vocals and guitar, Johann Robledo on lead guitar and backing vocals, John Coretto on upright bass and guitar, Peter “Salt” Irelan on drums, and Melissa Dee Phipps on backing vocals.

Brunette offers charismatic singing (although the authenticity of his Jamaican accent is in question), and Phipps decorates the tunes with smoothly sailing harmony vocals. Guest appearances by percussionist David Leach and organist/pianist Tom Thorndike keep things stimulating with their subtle but effectual contributions. The guitar work, with its buoyant rhythms and catchy twists, is central to the album’s infectious energy.

“Storybook Faces” is filled with reggae vigor, and the following track, “Let It Ride,” offers an addictively laidback air. “Strike while the Iron’s Hot” features a rich vocal chorus with a worldly feel, while “Betterthan” has a rapid guitar line that at first sounds like a disco riff. “Hope and Smoke” is a soft and relaxing tune that paves the way for the elevating closer, “Don’t Bring Me Down.”

Recorded by Chris Magruder at Thundering Sky Studios in South Berwick, the disc seems suited to a poolside listen under palm trees, and yet it features enough originality and variety to work in the Seacoast setting, too.

Todo Bien has upcoming live shows at The Stone Church in Newmarket on Friday, Jan. 20, and at The Blue Mermaid in Portsmouth on Saturday, March 24. Visit www.todobienmusic.com or find them on MySpace or Facebook.

‘Seconds in a Minute’ by Bliss: This trio of self-described “soccer moms,” all married with children, have turned their shared passion for music into an active gigging band that has now been performing around New England for close to five years. Their debut CD, “Seconds in a Minute,” includes 12 light folk songs that are heaped with heart.

The trio features Karen Larson on vocals, guitar, piano and percussion; Kristan Bishop on vocals and guitar; and Cathy O’Brien on violin. Most of the tunes are composed solely of acoustic strings and harmonized vocals. The music inevitably brings to mind other female trios, like Wilson Phillips or the Dixie Chicks, but Bliss is less poppy than the former and less country than the latter, instead offering a distinctly New England folk flavor with lyrical optimism burning through wistful melodies.

Most of the songs are originals written by Bishop or Larson, but there is a spree of cover tunes, including a spine-tingling rendition of The Waterboys’ oft-covered “Fisherman’s Blues,” a somber take on Jeff Davis’s “Down from Where I was Dreaming,” and a surprise adaptation of Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).”

The core trio gets some help from a few friends on several tracks, including Carolyn Hutton on vocals and mandolin, Truffle front man Dave Gerard on guitar, and Dave Bailey on bass. They all deliver skilled instrumental work that helps maintain a snug sonic environment. Released in December, the album was recorded by Chris Magruder at Thundering Sky Studios in South Berwick.

The disc’s closing track, “Peace, Love and Candy,” is a fond lullaby directed toward the artists’ children, but also, perhaps, to their anonymous listeners.

“I hope you dream of peace and love and unstoppable kindness / Hope you come to know all of life’s finest gifts,” they sing.

The band’s upcoming gigs include a slot at 92.5 The River’s Ski and Ride event at Mt. Sunapee on Saturday, Feb. 11, and a “Homes for our Troops” benefit show in Lowell, Mass., on Saturday, March 31. Visit www.bliss4.net or find them on Facebook.